Saudi Arabia Hosts International Conference on Counter-TerrorismCalls for Global Cooperation to Combat Threat

February 17, 2013

(Washington, DC) – An international conference to promote counter-terrorism collaboration concluded in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia today. The two-day conference was held in cooperation with the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Center (UNCCT) and under the patronage of Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal.

On behalf of Prince Saud, the conference was opened by Prince Dr. Torki bin Mohammad bin Saud Al-Kabeer, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Multilateral Relations, in the presence and participation of the U.N. and delegates from nearly 50 countries around the world.

Sessions throughout the conference addressed the four pillars essential to the international strategy for combating terrorism, including measures to address the conditions conducive to the spread of terrorism, measures to prevent and combat terrorism, measures to build the capacity of states to prevent and combat terrorism and strengthen the role of the U.N. in this connection, and measures to ensure respect of human rights for all and the rule of law as the fundamental basis for the fight against terrorism.

In a speech delivered by Prince Torki on his behalf, Prince Saud urged global cooperation to combat terrorism and find ways to coordinate and unify these efforts. He said, “The threat of terrorism and terrorists is still existing and extending in many countries, which requires the necessity to combat it by all means and at all local, regional and international levels…”

In its commitment to combating terrorism, the Saudi government has forged partnerships with multilateral organizations and foreign governments to advance counter-terrorism objectives and protect the national security of the Kingdom. In September 2011, Saudi Arabia signed an agreement with the U.N. to create the UNCCT and donated $10 million to its establishment. The initiative for this center was conceived in 2005, when Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz held the “Counter-Terrorism International Conference” in Riyadh.